Dash always illuminated, and headlamps question

[will-sussex-uk]

My 2002 V70 has a couple of annoying features. 1: the dash is lit up all the time making you think your lights are ON, not until I get flashed I realise they are not on! Quite annoying/dangerous

2: I like to turn my engine off when waiting at traffic lights to save fuel, when I do this at night all the cars lights go out! Unlike say, a Nissan, the headlamps don't stay on. Most alarming. Wouldn't be so bad if it just dropped down onto sidlamps, but the whole lot goes out. Only way to get my sidelamps up is to switch the lamps down to sidelamps, then after I start the car, switch back up again. Annoying.

is there a way to reprogram the lights?

This car does not have constant daytime running lamps which might mean they have been deacivated somehow. (I've read this is possible) but is there a way to turn the dash off when lights are not on, and for the lights to stay on without ignition being on, thanks.

[JRL]

Hmm
Turn the dash dimmer all the way down?

[will-sussex-uk]

THen I won't know if my lights are on by looking at the dash
I wish I could reprogram the whole car, I was looking for something in the back of the car and the interior light decided it would turn itself off. Shame the map light doesn't seem to ever do that, if they're trying to avoid you getting a flat battery, why don;t they make the map lights go off when you lock the car for instance, surely it knows nobody is in the car reading a map if it has been locked up.

Car tries to be too clever in some areas but lacks intelligence in others!